When comparing Ableton Live 9 vs Logic Pro X, the Slant community recommends Ableton Live 9 for most people. In the question“What are the best DAWs?”Ableton Live 9 is ranked 2nd while Logic Pro X is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose Ableton Live 9 is:

Ableton's session view gives a much quicker, more flexible way of experimenting with ideas than a typical linear interface. In session view, each instrument part is a separate entity that can be mixed and matched with other parts without having to rearrange anything. Any and every effect is consolidated into one clean looking interface.
It allows users to experiment with effects and other manipulations very quickly. Because of this, Ableton is known as one of the most creative DAWs out there.

Pros

Pro

Great creative DAW workflow

Ableton's session view gives a much quicker, more flexible way of experimenting with ideas than a typical linear interface. In session view, each instrument part is a separate entity that can be mixed and matched with other parts without having to rearrange anything. Any and every effect is consolidated into one clean looking interface.

It allows users to experiment with effects and other manipulations very quickly. Because of this, Ableton is known as one of the most creative DAWs out there.

Pro

Advanced automation

Pro

Great for sampling

The Ableton DAW offers a great sampling experience, which can be approached in many different ways. Audio can be directly chopped, quantized, warped, and even chopped into MIDI clips. Ableton's built in sampler also allows clean pitching along with useful loop functions.

Pro

Optimized for playing live music

While all DAWs are capable of playing music live, Ableton Live is the most DJ friendly DAW out there as it allows mixing and mashing various MIDI or audio clips together in real-time while still making sure that they're in sync.

Pro

Max for Live lets users build custom tools

With Max for Live, users can create custom synthesizers, audio effects, sequencers, samplers, and more. Max for Live is a feature that is available with Live 9 Suite.

Pro

Advanced content browser

The browser lets users choose from live Sets, tracks, clips, devices, presets, samples, etc. There is also an auto-play function for audio clips that enables users to browse samples quickly. The search function is also handy, but only for clips that are labeled appropriately.

Pro

Minimum skeuomorphism

Skeuomorphism is described as retaining antiquated aesthetic features on an updated version of a device. For DAWs, this happens when an interface is littered with analog nobs, wires, and other things that are reminiscent of older technology. While this can be considered a stylistic choice for some DAWs, it tends to block progress towards better practices in music production.

Pro

Many software specific controllers

Many MIDI controllers have been developed for the exclusive purpose of being used with Ableton. Some popular Live controllers include Push, APC40, and Launchpad.

Pro

Dual monitor support

Live 9 lets users see session and arrangement views at the same time with dual monitor support.

Pro

Outstanding EQ

Ableton's new EQ includes an integrated spectrum analyzer so users can see exactly which frequencies need to be adjusted. Additionally, this EQ cuts by 48 db. In the previous version of Ableton, the EQ only cut by 12 db.

Pro

Comes with 54GB included sounds and 40 effects

Pro

Supports "scales" plugin

If you want to write in a specific scale, choose it from the scale plugin and your music will automatically be configured to be that key.

Pro

Exemplary time stretching facilities

Not only can the time stretching can be done in real-time, there are about a dozen of TC/E algorithms to choose from.

Pro

Endless creativity

After some training this daw can be used for doing anything. There are basically no limits.

Pro

Multiple "workflows" or ways of achieving an outcome

Not everyone realizes this, but anything can be done in multiple ways in Live. Multiple ways of playing samples, multiple ways of slicing samples, multiple ways of sequencing MIDI, etc.

Pro

Can play a midi note from the middle

Since Live 10, you can play a midi note without having to play it from the start.

Pro

High quality instruments and effects

Pro

Comes with 57gb content

The initial download of Logic Pro X gives users 2gb of samples, but the DAW automatically downloads 57gb of samples once the Logic Pro X DAW is installed.

Pro

Cheaper than similar programs

This program costs US$200 and must be bought from the app store.

Pro

Free update from Logic

As of 1/21/2015, Apple has released an update that allows users to upgrade from Logic to Logic Pro X.

Pro

Allows users to program their own tools

The Logic Pro X DAW lets users make their own effects using with javascript leveraging its Scripter API.

Pro

Free corresponding iPad app

In order to allow more control, the Logic Pro X DAW has added a free iPad app called Logic Remote.

Logic Remote is available in several different views, and is capable of MIDI input and parameter adjustment. It comes with a full library and browser. Navigation is easy as well via the navigation bar along the top of the screen.

Many interesting views are available, such as chord strips. This view allows users to play a series of preset chords that are already in the right key. Gestures are supported with this app, so loop speed and other properties can quickly be adjusted.

This app connects to Logic through WiFi, so the app and program should be running on the same network.

Pro

Uses minimum amount of CPU

The Logic Pro X DAW is optimized for CPU usage, which makes the DAW more stable.

Pro

UI designed for ease of use

The Logic Pro X DAW has made an effort to keep clutter out of the equation so producers can focus on the music.

Pro

Studio standard

If you take music production seriously then one day maybe you'll enter professional studio, where you will most likely find the Logic DAW along with Pro Tools.

Pro

Supports expressive MIDI - MPE

Works with new controllers like Seaboard Rise, Linnstrument, Continuum Board, etc.

Pro

Does a lot of work for you

Switch in to Alchemy on the synth and you get an intuitive template to adjust wavetables and eq visually, plus various modes and styles. Handy tool

Pro

Full external MIDI support

Pro

Easy to learn, makes writing easy, and keeps technical in the background

It is easy, intuitive, and easy-to-implement.

Pro

Used by celebrities

This includes: Prodigy - Invaders Must Die (everything except guitars), John Powell - How to train your dragon, other works, and Tycho (until 2011 when he switched to Reaper to finish his album).

Cons

Con

Expensive

At around $749, the Ableton Live 9 Suite DAW is more expensive than other DAWs. Ableton live 9 standard can be bought for $449, and Ableton Live 9 Intro can be bought for $99.

Con

Plugins on frozen tracks are loaded and unloaded as the session opens slowing down opening and creating DSP limitations.

For example: If you freeze more than the allowed number of plugins on a UAD DSP device, when you open your session, Ableton will open and close all the frozen plugins on every channel even though they are not active in the session. The UAD control panel application displays the DSP usage of the hardware. During loading the levels (bars) will fluctuate by extreme amounts and typically will produce errors once the Ableton session is loaded.

After the session is loaded, UAD plugins that should be running are disabled because there wasn't enough DSP available during load.

The user then has to open and look at each UAD plug in to see if they are disabled and turn them off and on again to enable them. This illustrates there is enough room for the DSP load for unfrozen plugins, but that the loading process was at fault.

Con

Limited routing

Tracks can go into groups and sub-groups (as of Live 10), and sends are available, but that's the extent of routing.

Con

Interface looks terrible

It really looks shoddy. The fonts are much too small to be comfortable and there is no return to beginning button included in the navigation controls. (But font size can be increased)

Con

No comping / playlist feature when tracking

Con

No VST3 Support

Con

Sometimes very slow reaction, if you switch from one track to another with APC- or Push-Controller

Con

Only compatible with Mac

No Windows or Linux versions are available.

Con

Unusable with lots of plugins: stutters and clicks

Con

Lags or crashes often

This happens usually when there is a lot going on in the track.

Con

Poor audio editor

Audio editor is a lot less intuitive and accessible than other DAWs

Con

No support for 32-bit plugins without 3rd Party Plugin 32 Lives

Con

Rarely updated

Since Apple purchased this software, the updates are rare and none. The latest update was less than great and has forced users to look elsewhere, especially the Pro community.